Episcopal Commission for the Biblical Apostolate

Verbum Domini and the Call for a New Evangelization

+Pablo Virgilio S. David

Chairman, ECBA

To speak in such a way thatChrist is heard.  This is the life andmission of the Church, in a nutshell. The whole Church—clergy, religious, and laity—is supposed to representChrist to the world, by virtue of our common baptism into Christ.  In baptism, we’resupposed to have died to ourselves so that Christ could live in us; and likePaul, we’re supposed to say “I live, not I, but Christ lives in me.”  (Gal 2:20) Or better yet, we live in Christ.

Verbum Domini understands the Word of God, not as a monologue (God,as it were, talking to himself) but as a dialogue (God communicating andawaiting the response of his dialogue partner—us).  How clever of Pope Benedict to use theliturgical formula which the lector concludes with, after proclaiming thereading.  It is an acclamation thatinvites an immediate response—Deo Gratias(Thanks be to God!).  God’s Wordinvites us to fellowship, to communion with Him and with one another, so that,at the breaking of bread, we may recognize him who addresses us, and whosewords burn in our hearts as it did in the disciples at Emmaus.

There is no sense in discipleship if it does not mature intoapostleship.  We follow only so that we can be sent.  We soak in the words of the master only sothat he can speak in us and through us. We sit at his feet as followers so that we too can get on our feet ashis messengers—proclaiming nothing but the Word that gives life, the Word thatempowers, the Word that ignites faith, the Word that awakens hope, the Wordthat is Love, the Word that is Good News! 

We know that the faithful do cometo Church to listen to the Word ofGod.  That is good; but it is notenough!  We cannot remain in that modeafter more than four hundred years of Christianity in our country.  We cannot carry on with the template thatlimits the preaching to the clergy and the religious and the listening to thelaity.  Everyone who shares in the lifeof the Church—clergy, religious, or laity—must also share in the mission of theChurch.  Our common calling is not justto follow Christ but to be CHRIST—in thehere and now.

I am therefore not surprised atall that Pope Benedict’s immediate follow-up for Verbum Domini is a call for a newevangelization.  He also insists onthe urgency of this task in the context of a secular world that is treading thepath of self-destruction and is becoming increasingly deaf to voice of theWord, and blind to the face of the Word. 

I think of our coming together inthe name of Jesus, the Word made flesh, for this year 2012’s National BibleWorkshop as a gathering together in the house of the Word. May this gatheringbe an experience of a new Pentecost that will give a new impetus to our journeyto the roads of the Word, the Mission.